by Wade, Maddie
Aiden let out a giant sigh. “That’s the burning question. My best guess is Aaron found out about the trafficking, and that was why he met with Ralph. Somehow they found a way to silence Aaron that wouldn’t track back to them.”
“We have to stop them.”
“Oh, we will. They’ll all pay for what they took from us.”
Willow believed him. Aiden would avenge his brother if it were the last thing he did, and that frightened her to death. She was the one who’d opened this can of worms and dragged Aiden into danger. If she’d left things alone, they’d all be in happy ignorance but as she thought of the women she’d seen on TV rescued from sex rings, she knew she’d done the right thing. She just prayed it didn’t cost her another man she loved because she’d barely survived losing Aaron and losing Aiden would kill her.
Chapter 17
Waggs ruffled AJ’s head as the kid shoved toast cut into perfect triangles into his mouth. He hadn’t known how exhausting or rewarding it could be having a child around all the time and his admiration for Willow doing this alone for so long, and his shame for not being there, went up in equal measure. AJ was a good kid, the best in fact, and he was amazed at how fast he’d come to love him. It was hard to imagine his old, sterile life now without them in it.
“Mommy says I can’t have potato chips for breakfast.”
The sigh was so big and sad he would’ve thought the kid was talking about world peace and not what his breakfast choices were or were not. “Your mom is right. If you want to beat me at the assault course, chips for breakfast won’t work.”
AJ sat up straighter, the competitive side of him coming out to play. “Really?”
Waggs poured himself a coffee as he listened to Willow getting out of the shower. The doorbell rang and he knew it was Liam and Decker. Liam would go into the trucking yard later that day, so they were meeting here first to hash out a plan.
Liam and Decker strode through the door when he opened it, and AJ ran up to Liam high fiving him.
“Hey, little man, what you got there?”
“Peanut butter on toast.”
Liam flexed his biceps and AJ’s eyes widened. “My favourite. Lots of protein which is good for your muscles.”
Decker shook his head and accepted the coffee Waggs handed him. “Pack that in, Pyro.”
“What? Just giving the boy some inspiration.”
“I’m pretty sure Aiden has more than enough muscle to inspire him.”
Waggs grinned as Willow walked in the room and up to him, turning her head up for a kiss. Since his parents knew about them, they’d sat AJ down when he’d run into the bedroom that morning and caught them in bed.
Willow had explained that she loved Aiden and he loved her, and they both loved him, and when you loved someone it was okay to show them with kisses and hugs. AJ had taken it in stride.
Waggs kissed her, keeping it clean for the eyes on them even though the slightest touch from this woman had him wanting to go caveman on her and drag her back to bed.
Liam waggled his eyebrows. “Nice to see you kids finally got your shit together.”
“What does Taamira see in you?” Waggs asked jokingly.
Liam winked and chuckled. “That’s for me to know.”
“I’m going to take AJ in his room to play puzzles while you talk.”
Waggs watched her walk away, the swing of her hips hypnotising him and smiled.
“You have it bad.”
Waggs glanced at Liam and didn’t bother to deny it. The truth was, he did have it bad, and he could finally do it in the open without having to hide how he felt from either his brother or his family. “Yeah, I do.”
Liam clapped him on the shoulder. “Glad for you, man.”
Decker was watching but made no comment and Waggs wondered why but dismissed it. They had more things to worry about than his love life and the approval he sought.
“I put in a call to Will and Lopez this morning and it turns out Green is in country and at Fort Campbell, so I’m going to try and speak to him. I sent Lopez the pictures so we can try and identify the players from last night and maybe get Costasis to identify them.”
“You’ve been busy.” Waggs was impressed with how fast Decker was moving.
“I think our window is short and the longer it takes, the bigger the risk for Willow and AJ.”
“Do you think I should meet Green?”
“No, my gut says if he sees you, he’ll run. If I meet him and suggest there may be an open investigation and hint at immunity, then he might talk. I can try and find out how he got mixed up in this. The profile I worked up last night suggests he isn’t the brains behind this but the muscle, and that won’t sit well with him for long. He’s used to being in charge. Having his strings pulled won’t be something he allows long term. He’s a bit of a narcissist, so sees himself as somewhat of a hero and that probably played into Edwards being able to manipulate him. Offering him money and power, even though I still believe he’s holding the images we found over him.”
“I agree. He was always grandiose but not cruel. He liked the deference his title gave him and was actually a pretty good sharpshooter, so I’m shocked.”
“Yeah, fucker still needs to go down for being a pervert.”
“And for his part in killing my brother.”
“Absolutely, man.” Liam nodded and looked at his watch. “I need to head to the day job but keep your comms close in case I have hot info.”
“Have a good day, dear.” Waggs mimicked a falsetto and got the middle finger from Liam as he headed out the door.
“What are your plans today?”
Waggs regarded Decker. “I’m going home to see if I can go through my brother’s old room and see if he left any information there. I’ve checked here and honestly, knowing him like I did, I really don’t think we will find anything here. He’d keep Willow out of it.”
“Is this the place she shared with Aaron?” Deck leaned back, and Waggs wondered why he was asking but knew Deck would only tell him when he was ready.
“No, she moved here with AJ. The never actually lived together officially. With him away a lot, he stayed at home but slept over at her apartment, although mostly they were at our place anyway.”
“So, no ghosts here.”
Waggs shook his head. “No, not really. Aaron never seems to leave me, but I don’t look around and see him and Willow together at every turn.”
“AJ must be a big reminder though.”
“Not really. I never saw Aaron with him either and looking at him is like seeing Aaron but also me as a kid, so it’s not as hard as it was.”
Decker stood. “Must be nice, to have that reminder of someone you loved.”
“What do you have, Deck?” Waggs walked with him to the door wanting to know more about his friend’s pain that he hid behind layers of designer suits.
“Memories.”
“Is it enough?” Waggs knew grief and pain and could see that whatever his friend hid was eating him up.
“It has to be.”
Decker walked away and Waggs watched him get in the car and head to do whatever he needed. He shook off his concern for his friend and went to find Willow. She and AJ might as well come with him to his mom’s rather than stay here with Bebe and Laverne. He didn’t know much about the French woman, but she was like the rest of the Zenobi women, beautiful and slightly terrifying.
An hour later he pulled up outside his parents’ home and smiled. It was getting easier and easier to be in this place without the weight of expectation and grief weighing him down.
He knocked and walked through the door, Willow’s hand in his, and AJ holding his other hand. “Mom, Dad.”
“Through here, honey.” Amy Wagner popped her head out of the kitchen and smiled wide when she saw them holding hands. He felt his chest relax with relief. He’d believed Willow when she said his mom was fine with them being together. His mother had never been one to mince her words, and would’ve
said if she wasn’t, but seeing it was much better.
They moved through to the kitchen as AJ let go and flew toward the den where his toy box sat in the corner. The box was actually one his dad had built for him and his brother to keep their toys in when they were kids, and he loved the idea that AJ now used it.
His mother pulled him into a hug, and he let her, hugging her back and knowing how lucky he was to have her as a parent. “Look at you two!”
“I’m glad you approve, Mom.”
“Well of course I do. I love this girl is if she were my own.”
Willow blushed and let go of his hand to hug Amy. “Now, why don’t you go do what you need to, and Willow and I can catch up. I have some ideas for AJ’s birthday I want to run past you.”
“It’s not for months yet, Mom.”
“Six weeks actually. And I know he likes his cake. That boy was so tiny when he was born but he’s made up for it.”
“He was? Wasn’t he overdue?”
“Nearly three weeks but he mustn’t have taken after his father for that one. He was tiny.”
“Hmm.” Waggs hadn’t really known a lot about that time, still too caught up in grief and running from the pain he was in to want to hear it. He glanced at Willow who was eyeing him and then his mom, the colour in her cheeks gone.
Willow looked spooked by the conversation, so he took her hand and pulled her toward him, pushing her hair from her face. “You okay?” He wondered if remembering that time when she was alone upset her.
“Yes, of course, why?”
“You just looked a little green, that’s all.”
“No, no, all fine here. Go do what you need to do and then we can have lunch.”
Waggs eyed her, not quite believing her but putting it down to tiredness. He dropped a light kiss on her lips not feeling any of the awkwardness he’d expected.
“Have fun.” He winked at her and smiled at his mom who was watching them with a glow of happiness he hadn’t seen in a long time. The heavy stoop of her shoulders had gone, making his mother look younger.
Waggs took a breath as he stepped into his brother’s room and the rush of memories nearly felled him like a diseased oak. It was the same way it had been when he was alive. He knew his mom kept it this way so that one day AJ would know his father.
He could smell the aftershave his brother had worn, always joking it made him a sure thing with the ladies. Aaron had been the charmer, the flirt but when he’d met Willow, that all ended. Aaron had told him the night they met she was the one for him, declaring Aiden would love her. The joke had been that he had, and not as he should have. It hadn’t been the fast, hard punch of love that Aaron had felt but had grown over time.
He moved to the dresser and opening it, saw Aaron’s clothes. Running his hand over them, a host of memories ran through is head. His brother hadn’t been perfect, he could be grumpy and was known to sulk, but they’d balanced each other. The thought that someone had deliberately taken that away from him because they didn’t want their illegal activities found out, made him so angry he could hardly see straight.
He glanced around trying to think where Aaron would hide something. The room had the basics, bed, wardrobe, dresser, and desk. The bed was in the corner against the wall, and it took him a moment to remember that it hadn’t always been that way. He used to have his bed by the window, saying he liked to wake up naturally to daylight. When he’d moved the room around, he’d said it was because Willow didn’t like the sun waking her and he’d never questioned it but now he knew different. Willow loved the sun and had her bed by the window.
Moving the dresser aside, Waggs shoved the bed away from the wall and spotted the air vent. Dropping to his knees, he felt adrenaline punch through his blood similar to when he was on a mission. Taking the knife he always carried from his pocket, he unscrewed the cover and pulled it from the wall. Reaching in, he found a stack of papers in a small shoe box. He sat back on his heels and blew out a short breath before he opened the lid.
On the top was the familiar looped handwriting of his twin. It was hard to swallow the emotion as he saw the secret language they’d used as boys to communicate, spelling out his name on the top. It hadn’t been a radical language, just them removing the vowels out of the words but at the time they’d thought it was the best invention ever.
Flipping open the envelope he took out the two sheets of paper and began to read.
Dear Aiden (Second best looking child),
If you found this, you’re either a nosy bastard or I’m dead, and you’re looking for answers. I pray it’s the first, I have so much I want to do and a life I want to live. If it’s the second one, then—damn. I guess you’ll need to live for both of us and I hope you do. I’m sure you figured out that I’ve been looking into Edwards Trucking. I was in the Crowded Cat bar one night when I saw Nick Green talking to Ralph.
It looked off so I followed them and what I found will haunt me forever. A truck full of dead women in one of Edwards trucks. By the looks of them, they’d all died of exposure and they sure as shit weren’t there out of choice or fleeing some foreign dictatorship. These were girls who, before their deaths, had been loved by someone. I have files on a thumb drive with everything I know so far, but I think Ralph might be on to me.
I met him for a drink the other night to try and see if I could get information, but he was closed mouthed and didn’t believe my story about needing extra cash and not caring what I had to do to get it. Use the files, Aide, and stop these motherfuckers from hurting people.
Now that aside, I want to talk about you. I know you, Aide, and you’ll wallow and blame yourself and try to fix everyone else, but I need you to listen to me.
Live your life and be happy. You may have thought you’d hidden it from me, but I know how much you love Willow and not in the way a brother does but the way I do. If I were a better man, I’d step aside so she could be with you. I know she loves you, but she loves me too, and I can’t give her up, I love her too much. You’re a good man, the best of us, and there’s nobody I would want but you to look after Willow when I’m gone. Seeing you two together would be right and I know you’d love her like I do.
Please know I don’t hold a grudge or anger for the way either of you feel about each other. For me, it seems right in some strange way that we’d love the same woman. We did everything else together so why not the most important thing of all? That we’re lucky enough to have earned her love shows how blessed we are.
Love her, build a life with her, and do it with my blessing. I love you, brother, and being your twin has been the greatest gift of my life. Now go live yours, and if you can kick Ralph’s ass, then that would be good too.
Love Aaron (the good-looking twin)
Tears were openly streaming down Waggs face as he read the letter through a blur of grief, relief, and sadness. He’d thought he’d hidden it, but he should’ve known he and Aaron had no secrets. Having his blessing was the final gift from a man who’d given him a best friend from the second he was born.
“Aiden? Oh my, are you okay?”
He turned, wiping the tears from his face with his sleeve to see his mom looking worried in the doorway. He held up the letter for her to see and she crossed to sit next to him on the bed.
“He left me a letter, a bit like the one he left you and Dad and Willow. It’s written in our secret language.”
His mother took it and looked down at it with a sad smile as she leaned into him. “That language drove me nuts until I figured it out.” Her tone was light, but he could hear the sadness behind it.
“He knew about me loving Willow and her loving me back. He gave me his blessing to love her, Mom.”
His mother wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head to her shoulder and he let her, needing that even at his age—to just be held by his mom while he bolstered his emotions.
“Of course, he knew. We all did, and we hated it for you. To love a person who isn’t free to love you back in t
he same way is the worst. Aaron knew that and hated it too, but he loved her as well.”
“I would never have come between them, Mom. I never would’ve acted on it while he was alive.”
“Oh, silly boy, of course you wouldn’t have. We all know that, and neither would she. Willow is a good girl, and I’m lucky she loves both my boys.”
His mom pulled away and took his hand between both of hers and held it. “But, my darling, as much as it pains me every day, Aaron isn’t here, and you are. You deserve to be happy. So, live your life, love that girl and my grandbaby, and maybe think about giving me some more grandbabies to love on.”
“Jeez, Mom, give us a minute to get used to it first. We haven’t even talked about where we’ll live once this is over.”
“I know but you should consider staying where you are.”
Waggs pulled back, shocked. “Really?”
His mom nodded. “Yes, you have good friends that are like family and you love your job. I know Willow would follow you anywhere.”
“What about AJ?”
“Of course we will miss him, but we can visit and so can you. If it makes my boy smile again, I’ll make it work.”
“How did I get so lucky to land you as a mom?”
“I was the one who got lucky to be granted such wonderful sons. So, enough crying we’ve all done too much of that lately.” She swiped a tear from her own eye, and he smiled at she visibly pulled herself together. “Now, did you find anything useful in stopping this pig from hurting our girl?”
“Yeah, he told me where to find the file with all the info he had on it.”
His mom stood and patted her top over her denim jeans. “Good. Now hurry up, lunch is almost ready.”
Waggs saluted. “Yes, boss.”
“Smart ass. You’re not too big for a smack upside the head you know.”
Waggs chuckled as he folded the letter that was his most prized possession now. Tucking it back in the box where he’d found it, he picked up the next letter with the instructions on where to find the file drive and grinned. It was in the box for their favourite game—Call of Duty, of course.